The ECB announced a 61 million pound package that will be used to help confront the current situation of cricket amid COVID-19.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison officially dubbed COVID-19 as the ‘biggest challenge’ that they faced in the history of the game in the modern era’. After that, he announced that they will issue a financial aid package amounting to £61 million to support all cricket events in England.
With regards to its financial breakdown, the £40 million will be readily be made available for an immediate purpose while the remaining £21 million will be used for interest-free loans. The focus of the said loans will be to ensure that the games may survive at a recreational level.
The package has already been approved by the board members of the ECB. It has also been confirmed that the purpose of the financial package is to address the short term issues being felt in the industry.
'We are aware the effects will be long-standing and they will be very significant on us', Harrison said. 'We are trying to work around the clock to understand that impact and take some short term steps to help counties and recreational cubs to get through the immediate impact'.
To date, the ECB has ruled out that no cricket match will be played until at least May 28. After that, the board is working on scenarios where the season may begin in June, July, or August. Aside from that, the board is also foreseeing a possible chance that no season will be played at all.
No decisions had been fully made for the fate of The Hundred. Meanwhile, Harrison stated that county competitions under the T20 Blast will be prioritised after the crisis. To know more about the T20 Blast, visit Betwala.
READ MORE: What is the T20 Blast League?
